Powder coated blue bottle by Akzo Nobel, 2000

Glass bottle, blue, powder coated by Akzo Nobel, Gateshead, in 2000.

Powder coatings are used as finishes for a wide range of metal appliances including domestic appliances and radiators, car components, computer servers, filing cabinets and aluminium doors and window frames. Powder coatings can also be used to coat certain non-metallic surfaces, such as glass. In this case recycled glass can be used as the base material and powder-coated so that it appears to be coloured glass. This means that recycled glass can be used for a variety of top of the range containers, for example in the cosmetics industry. Powder coatings are very tough and durable so that they last much longer than traditional paints. They do not contain harmful solvents, and so when applied do not emit greenhouse gases.